Earth Watch Report - Extreme Weather

Storm force winds batter the West Parade at Rhyl
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Extreme Weather

United Kingdom

Wales, [Wales-wide]

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Extreme Weather in United Kingdom on Thursday, 05 December, 2013 at 14:06 (02:06 PM) UTC.

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Police are urging residents in parts of Flintshire to leave their properties due to leave their properties due to a 'severe risk of flooding'. North Wales Police said the specific areas which need to be evacuated are Talacre, Ty’n Y Morfa, Dee Bank, Boot, Welston, Walwen and the Greenfield Business Park. Schools in Flintshire have also been closed because of the weather conditions. A statement said: "The high risk time is between 11.45am and 12.15pm.People are being asked to take action to move important and valuable items to safety, making sure they keep themselves and their families safe and to listen to the advice of emergency services. "Holywell Leisure Centre in Fron Park Road the town centre is being made available as a rest centre for anyone affected who wishes to use it. "Anyone unable to evacuate please call 101 and arrangements will be made." Natural Resources Wales has issued severe flood warnings - meaning there's a danger to life - in North Wales. The warnings have been issued for Talacre to Tyn y Morfa at Point of Ayr and Greenfield to Bagillt, both in Fintshire. In total there are 16 flood warnings and four alerts in place across Wales, mainly in North Wales but stretching to Swansea Bay. Rhyl Promenade has been closed to traffic as a precautionary measure and Denbighshire County Council are concerned about 74 properties in the town as the main swell is expected at 11.45am. Natural Resources Wales say the areas where the sea could overtop defences could include caravan parks. Gale force winds are hitting parts of Wales, which have also been warned to expect a tidal surge today.

THe A548 Flintshire Bridge is closed in both directions because of the strong winds and there is a 30mp speed limit on the Britannia Bridge. Arriva Trains Wales has also warned that poor rail conditions and high winds across Wales are causing disruption to Wales network. Denbighshire County Council has confirmed it is carrying out preparations ahead of a storm which is expected to affect the county this morning. A spokesman for the council said: "There is some concern about 74 properties on West Parade, Rhyl. There is also some concern about flooding in an area between the Nova Centre Prestatyn and the Grand Hotel, as well as the Splash Point area of Rhyl. "Arrangements are being made to prepare a rest centre at Rhyl Leisure Centre, with staff on-standby to deal with any issues if a flood occurs. "Thirty Denbighshire staff are working along the coast, checking defences. Rhyl Promenade has been closed to traffic as a precautionary measure and the Council is currently sandbagging junctions of streets leading from the promenade." Large parts of the UK have been warned to brace themselves for terrible weather conditions, with gale force winds and the most serious tidal surge for 30 years.

Winds of up to 90mph are battering Scotland and northern and eastern England. The Environment Agency (EA) warned that huge tidal surges could top flood defences along the east coast. Areas most at risk of flooding include the North Sea coast from Northumberland down to the Thames Estuary and Kent. Natural Resources Wales is urging people along the North Wales coast between eastern Anglesey and Liverpool to be prepared for flooding. There are flood warnings in place at Tan Lan to Presthaven Sands holiday park at Point of Ayr, Kinmel Bay, Bangor, Llanfairfechan, the River Dee at Hawarden Embankment and the Northern Embankment, Ffynongroyw, Point of Ayr, Prestatyn, Rhyl, Llanddulas and Red Wharf Bay. There are flood alerts in place for Swansea Bay and the Gower, the Llyn peninsula and Cardigan Bay coastline, the West Anglesey coastline and the wider North Wales coast. A flood warning means flooding is expected and immediate action needed, while a flood alert means it is possible and be prepared.

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Extreme Weather in United Kingdom on Thursday, 05 December, 2013 at 14:06 (02:06 PM) UTC.

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Updated:	Thursday, 05 December, 2013 at 15:12 UTC
Description
Lifeboats are helping to evacuate dozens of homes and offices in Rhyl as high tides and gale force winds cause flooding. Major disruption has been caused across north east Wales with roads closed, schools shut and trains stopped. Two severe warnings - suggesting there is a danger to life - had been issued for the area earlier on Thursday. There are also unconfirmed reports that part of Aldi's roof has blown off in Mold landing on several cars. In Rhy, one of the worst affected areas, a rest centre has been set up at the leisure centre for residents and schoolchildren forced to leave buildings the tidal surge. So far, 25 residents and six dogs have been rescued. "Two RNLI Flood Rescue Teams assembled in St Asaph and have been deployed to assist the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service in evacuating residents from flooded bungalows in Rhyl," a spokesman said. "The team are currently helping to evacuate the residents with two inshore lifeboats." Nearby areas are also affected. North Wales Police also urged evacuation in Talacre, Ty'n Y Morfa, Dee Bank, Boot, Welston, Walwen and the Greenfield Business Park. "People are being asked to take action to move important and valuable items to safety, making sure they keep themselves and their families safe and to listen to the advice of emergency services," said a spokesman. Fourteen flood warnings are in place across north Wales and the warnings have increased to their highest state of alert at Greenfield, Bagillt and Point of Ayr. People living near the River Dee at Saltney, Flintshire said they could not remember the river being as high.

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North Wales floods: Lifeboats rescue people from their own homes as major floods hit

5 Dec 2013 16:28

Streets have turned into rivers which lifeboats are sailing down as they rescue people from their own homes

Hundreds of people have been rescued from their own homes by lifeboats as storms and tidal surges hit parts of Wales.
Lifeboat crews have been called in to people whose homes have been flooded in Rhyl after the worst tidal surge in 30 years.
Hundreds more homes are still at risk and there is another high tide after midnight tonight.
Two teams comprising of volunteers specially trained in flooding and fast-flowing water met in St. Asaph before being deployed to assist the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, as well as other emergency services, in evacuating residents from flooded bungalows in Rhyl.
The team, made up of volunteers from Rhyl, Conwy, St. Asaph and Beaumaris, are now continuing to search the area.
North Wales Fire and Rescue Service received 34 flooding related calls between 10am and 2.30pm.
RNLI video of the volunteer Flood Rescue Team assisting Rhyl residents

North Wales has also been hit by 80mph winds.
There were flood warnings from early morning, which were upgraded to severe flood warnings by late morning.
An evacuation centre has been set up at Rhyl Leisure Centre.

In Prestatyn, water levels are "scarily high".
In Deganwy, Conwy, flood defences have been topped, as they also were in Llanfairfechan.
In Llanddulas, tide levels peaked at more than 7.15 metres. There is also an evacuation centre in Holywell.
RNLI teams have been deployed to help the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service in evacuating residents from flooded homes.
A spokesperson for the RNLI said: "They have evacuated people from their homes ... and are now working with the fire service going street by street to see if anybody else requires any assistance."
Arriva Trains Wales (ATW) has suspended all services along the North Wales coast due to flooding on the line caused by high waves. There are also no services running between Crewe and Manchester.
ATW is advising people not to travel to and from stations on these routes due to limited availability of rail replacement buses in North Wales. Tickets dated for travel today are valid for travel tomorrow (Friday 6th December 2013).
Also due to high winds bringing down trees and power cables on the line between Church Stretton - Shrewsbury, Ruabon and Chirk, train services between North Wales and Manchester to South Wales may be cancelled or severely delayed.
A crew from the Barmouth RNLI inshore lifeboat launched this morning in a westerly Force 8 gale to rescue a 21ft cabin cruiser which had gone adrift from the pontoon in the harbour and had been swept up on Borthwen Beach near the railway bridge.
Traffic has also been severely disrupted. The A548 Bagillt Road is closed in both directions because of the weather between the B5121 Greenfield Road and Station Road.
The A548 Rhyl Coast Road is also closed in both directions because of the weather between the B5118 Tynewydd Road and the A548 Victoria Road. Adjacent roads in the area are also closed

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